First I want to say some thanks, which I should have done in the first chapter- thanks to Karen and Chrys, for giving me this idea. Major props to Tiff and Rae as well, and Tammers- you five are my support cheerleaders! laughs Love to the Ricks kids, all of them out there... and, of course, thanks to Kasey and Ewinz, my online partners in crime.
Also- Legends and Heroes has it's first reader who has written back and hasn't been prompted to read it! laughs again Hey Soli, thanks for reading, and keep the feedback coming.
I AM A FEEDBACK WHORE. So send me replies!
Also, check out my website, for more of my fiction: www.geocities.com/boysdontcry1516/
And, of course... the disclaimer: I do not know *NSYNC. This story was not created to imply their sexual orientations. I am not insane and I do not actually believe that JC is the king of a land called Laren. See there's this word, it's 'FICTION'. Enough said?
Do ya think I've blabbed enough? Good.
LEGENDS AND HEROES: CHAPTER 2
Joshua ran his finger down Lance's cheek, watching him breathe. His eyes rested on Lance's jutting Adam's apple, then traveled to the window above them. Rain continued to fall, but it was not the heavy, crashing rain of the night before, it was light and mist-like. He pulled the sleeping Prince closer to him, resting his chin on Lance's shoulder and nuzzling his neck, Lance's bare back pressed against his chest. Ordinarily, he would have been afraid of such a public display of affection- he WAS the King of Laren, and in the Oak Hall the only place to sleep was a large room, with beds on the walls, platforms supported by tree branches. The whole of Oak Hall was naturally formed, trees
grown together to interlace and lock together, forming a solid Hall. Wyr bustled all over the place but Joshua didn't care- a few Wyr threw him knowing glances but mostly they ignored him and Lance, curled up on one of the platforms, covered in blankets. He doubted they knew who he was- who Lance was- but it didn't really matter to him.
One Wyr hurried up to him, looking incredibly nervous. "Um... I... er... Highness, the... uh... the Duke of Antoine... would, ah, like to speak to you." She stuttered.
Joshua sat up. "Lance, too?" He asked.
The Wyr did a double-take as he said the name, and Joshua wondered if it was because she hadn't seen him, had thought he was a female, or had simply recognized the name and realized that she was in the presence of
the Prince of the Shayani, as well as the King of Laren. Joshua chuckled inwardly at the second option- Joseph and Christopher teased Lance mercilessly about his feminine features- long eyelashes, full red lips, high cheekbones.
"No- I-" The Wyr pursed her lips. "He did not ask for... Lance."
"Did he mention the Prince?" Joshua pushed.
"I- I don't think so, Highness."
"Good. Then I won't have to wake him." Joshua said in satisfaction, brushing a lock of hair from Lance's forehead absentmindedly.
"Too late." The Shayani groaned, rolling onto his back. "Where are you going?" He asked, cracking open his green eyes.
"I don't know." Joshua shrugged. "Joseph wants me." He smiled down at Lance, then looked back up to the messenger. "May I have a minute?"
The Wyr's eyes were still focused on Lance. "I..." She turned red. "I..."
Joshua realized what it sounded like he was asking for, then said hastily, "I need to get dressed."
"Oh." The Wyr's blush faded. "Of course. I will wait for you at the doorway."
Lance propped himself up on his elbows, reaching up with one hand, and tugging something off the 'ceiling' of their bed. Something green and leafy fell in front of their platform, hiding them from the eyes of the Wyr in the hall.
"What is that?" Joshua asked, staring at the leafy thing.
"A curtain, Joshua." Lance said, laughing, and dropping back onto the bed. "Do I have to go with you?"
"No." Joshua smiled at the clothes the Duke of Oak Hall, Thomas, had provided for them. He shook out a shirt of silver silk, slipping it over his head.
Lance sat up as well and handed him the tunic- silk again, but a deep, shimmering blue. Joshua pulled it over his head, then grabbed the soft grey velvet pants, pulling them on. He began to lace his tunic together at the neck but found Lance already doing it for him.
"I think I'm going to like living with you." Joshua joked, as he pulled Lance's hands away. "I can do it myself, you know."
"But I want to." Lance protested.
Joshua laughed, finishing the lacing himself. "It makes me feel like a child." He explained, pulling Lance into his arms. Lance twisted and they settled in their natural position- Lance's back against Joshua's chest, wedged between Joshua's legs, Joshua's arms wrapped around Lance's waist. They sat like that for a moment, Lance leaning his head back to rest on Joshua's shoulder. "I have to go." Joshua said regretfully, not moving.
"I know." Lance smiled, lifted his head off his lover's shoulder, and turned his head to face Joshua.
Joshua kissed him, pressing his lips against Lance's, tightening his arms around Lance's waist.
Finally Joshua pulled back. "I have to go." He repeated, then laughed. "It's not like I'll be gone forever. Probably 20 minutes at the most."
Lance leaned forward to kiss him lightly, then stopped. "If I kiss you I'll never let you go. And our minute has been up for a while. That poor girl is going to be wondering if you vanished."
Joshua smacked his forward. "I forgot all about her! Okay, now I REALLY have to go..."
~~~~~~~~~
Joshua hurried into the room, blushing at the knowing glance Christopher was giving him.
"If he's going to live with you, you're going to have to learn to resist those lips of his in the morning, Joshua." Joseph said, looking up from the map he'd been studying.
Joshua blushed harder. "I... sorry." He said, walking up to the map, to see what the Duke was looking at.
"Look- here." Joseph pointed to the mass of black cloud that was moving steadily towards the black dot that was Oak Hall.
Joshua cursed. "But that's moving too fast, we'll never beat it to Kylara!"
"My point exactly." Joseph said grimly. "And that's no natural storm, Highness." He touched the storm on the map and it rose above their heads, jolts of energy shaking the cloud.
"What are we going to do, Joshua?" Chris looked worriedly at the storm.
Joshua rubbed his chin, trying not to wince at the roughness of his own skin. "I don't know." He said finally. "I don't know."
"We need Lance. He knows a lot more magic than I do." Joey turned to the messenger. "Will you please ask Lance to join-"
"Completely unnecessary." A deep voice said, from Joshua's side.
Joshua whirled to see Lance finish materializing, fully dressed and shaved.
"I had a feeling you might need me." Lance explained to the gaping King.
"Well, good. Now that we're all here..." Joseph said brusquely, guiding the cloud back onto the map. "What is this storm, Lance?"
"A Mage-storm." Lance said matter-of-factly.
"We KNOW that." Christopher snapped impatiently. "But is it safe?"
"Does it LOOK safe to you?" Lance answered coolly.
"Appearances are deceiving." Christopher said firmly. "Especially in magic."
"I know that." Lance said calmly, then leaned down to examine the map. "I don't see any way... wait." Lance's lips twisted into a sly smile. "Just- just wait here for a moment!" Lance disappeared.
"Um... where did he go?" Joseph looked around, then sighed. "Honestly, you'd think he'd tell us-"
"I know how we're going to get back to Kylara!" Lance interrupted, triumph in his voice.
Christopher, Joseph, and Joshua looked around for the source of his voice.
"Up here!" Lance called.
He was sitting high above them, on the window sill.
"Lance get down NOW!" Joshua yelled, panic edging in his voice. "What are you doing, you could be killed-"
"How do we get to Kylara?" Joseph interrupted.
"The Tunnels!" Lance said gleefully.
Joseph gaped at him. "Of course! The tunnels... how could I forget?"
"Huh?" Joshua looked from the Prince to the Duke, blue eyes wide with confusion. "What tunnels?"
"You know, Joshua." Christopher said, smiling now. "The Tunnels the Shayani and Wyr made, from Lakra to Kylara?"
"I- oh." Joshua squinted up towards Lance. "Will you get down? You're making me nervous."
Grumbling under his breath, Lance disappeared from the window-sill and appeared by his side. "How's this?"
"Better." Joshua kissed Lance's smooth forehead, then turned back to his companions. "So, when are we going? I'm sure Justin's worried out of his mind."
"Well he should have just come with us, then." Christopher said, frowning.
"But then what would Kylara do- deprived of their Chief Advisor, their General, their Prince, and their King all at the same time?" Lance asked.
Joshua wrapped an arm around Lance's waist, and smiled at the blonde. "Precisely."
Christopher smiled at the two of them, in a fond, fatherly kind of way- he WAS five years older than them- but Joseph noticed the movement and frowned a little. "Joshua, you have thought..." He began, then fell silent.
"Thought of what?" Joshua asked, frowning.
"I- I don't want to be rude." Joseph muttered.
"When have you worried about being rude before?" Joshua arched a single dark eyebrow. "Pray tell."
"Well, Joshua... have you thought of what people will SAY, when they see you with him?" Joseph nodded towards Lance, taking in Joshua's hand resting on Lance's stomach, interlaced with Lance's hand. "Joshua, they'll... Jonathan will have a fit."
"Jonathan is old and stuffy." Joshua said coolly, pulling the Shayani closer to him. "And I don't care what they have to say. They've always told me that they wanted me to fall in love, and I have, so why would they be displeased?"
"But Joshua, they meant... I mean, they want..." Joseph said desperately. "You need an heir, Joshua."
"I'm not his Consort." Lance said quietly.
"And he's 21, Joseph." Christopher added. "No one expects him to have an heir yet."
"But you will need a son, Joshua, and you know it-"
"I'm NOT his Consort." Lance repeated firmly, and Joseph saw what Lance was trying to tell him- that Lance doubted he'd even be asked to be Joshua's Consort, that either they would no longer be together when Joshua wanted a Consort, or Joshua would be forced to marry a woman.
Joshua realized what Lance was saying, too, and tightened his grip on him. He would not let Lance go- not after all it had taken to get him. It was true, the court might not accept Lance, who was male and a Shayani, but he did not care what they thought. It was HIS life.
"We should be going." Christopher said, breaking the tense silence, seeing the grip Joshua had Lance in. He understood that it was a difficult and worrying topic, that needed discussion, but he didn't want to harm the two in any way. He was merely 26, but he knew love when he saw it, and he saw it in Joshua's intense blue eyes and in the way Lance's Adam's apple jumped at the sight of the King.
"Ah- yes." Joshua agreed. "But we must thank Duke Thomas-"
"His Majesty- and his friends- are welcome in Oak Hall at anytime." A silky voice interrupted him. The Duke bowed to Joshua and Lance, shook Christopher's hand, and smiled affectionately at his nephew. "And Joseph, if you do not visit us more often, I'll have your father drag you down here, with your brothers as well." He added.
Joseph smiled reluctantly. "Sorry, Uncle. I'm just busy."
"Busy, busy. I, too, am busy." Thomas said dismissively. "It was a pleasure seeing you again, Highness."
Joshua bowed his head gracefully. "The pleasure, Your Grace, is mine." He said politely.
"The pleasure is yours then, as always." Thomas laughed. "And now you'll be on your way? Yes, I can see you're itching to get out of my stuffy hall and away from old pompous me. Well, go then, be safe, and good luck."
"And to you." Lance said, smiling, then snapped his fingers and vanished, Joshua's arm falling to his side in the absence of Lance's waist.
Christopher sighed in mock-annoyance. "Where has he gone now?"
~~~~~~~~~
Lance smiled as he looked around the huge room. "You want me to live here? With you?" he asked, quietly. "Are you sure this is where you want me to be?"
"Of course I'm sure." Joshua gestured around the room. "This, this is yours now, Lance. Please. I wouldn't have it any other way."
"If you're sure, then." Lance sat down on the edge of the immense bed. "This room is the size of my castle." He added, looking around once more.
Joshua sat beside him. "Lance, is this where you want to be?" He asked, taking his hand.
Lance looked surprised. "There's no other place I'd rather be. Why? Is there a problem?"
"No problem." Joshua smiled a little. "I just wanted to know if you wanted to be here, or if I was unintentionally forcing you into something you wouldn't want to be doing."
"Of course you're not, Joshua, don't be an idiot." Lance said, rolling his green-gold eyes at the King. "I thought I made it clear that I want to be wherever you are."
Joshua smiled and kissed the Prince's cheek. "The feeling is mutual, Lance."
"Good. I would be scared if it weren't."
~~~~~~~~~
"He's LIVING with you? In YOUR room? You mean he doesn't even have a room of his own?" The man roared, pacing the floor.
"That's what I just said, isn't it?" Joshua asked sweetly, watching the man with amusement.
"Joshua this is not a time for games and folly! I understand that you are King now but do you know what this means?" The man stopped his pacing, and ran a frustrated hand through his black hair. "Do you know what you have done, Joshua?"
"I have invited the man I love to live with me, and there is nothing wrong with that." Joshua said stubbornly.
"Joshua, the Kingdom will be in an uproar when they find out he is living with you! If you are truly in love, as you say you are, he will, inevitably, become Consort. Joshua, he cannot have children, he's... he's... he's a HE!"
"I know." Joshua said coolly.
"JOSHUA!" The man yelled, then collapsed in a chair. "I am old, I know that young Joseph will succeed me as Chief Advisor but I am still in my position and I am begging you to listen to me."
"I'm listening, Jonathan."
"You do not know what you have done. You have destroyed timeless traditions with a word; you have shattered the foundation on which we base our society with a kiss. No, it is not unusual for a man to love a man, but a King? Joshua, you must understand. Christopher, Joseph, the Wyr- they are open-minded, they are tolerant. Humans, once they have adapted something, and it has been in their lives for an extended period of time... they can't let go of it. The Human inhabitants of Kylara- of Laren- are close-minded and intolerant. They will not stand for this, Joshua. You are openly refusing them an heir and you are rejecting all their beautiful daughters and nieces and granddaughters. Do you see, Joshua?"
"But it's just love." Joshua said desperately. "What harm can love do?"
Jonathan sighed. "You have a lot to learn, my King."
~~~~~~~~~
Justin lay sprawled across his favorite armchair, his brilliant blue eyes fixed on the chess board set before him.
His brother sat across from him, darker blue eyes also fixed on the jeweled ivory and ebony pieces. Frowning, he reached forwards and moved his knight. "Do you have anything to say?" He asked.
Justin tugged absentmindedly at a golden curl. "About what?" He replied, not even looking up. His attention was focused entirely on the game.
"About Lance." His brother said impatiently.
Justin bit his lip and moved his queen, taking the white bishop. "If I had anything to say, it's probably been said a million times over by your advisors and your friends and the ladies of the court, not to mention our parents. I don't care, Joshua. You're in love, and happy, so I'm happy for you. I don't understand why everyone's making such a fuss about it."
"Because Lance is not a girl." Joshua explained, narrowing his eyes at the move.
"Well, that's obvious." Justin smiled at his brother's irritation. "You should have seen that move coming."
Joshua ignored the comment and moved his knight forward. "I missed this." He said thoughtfully.
"So did I." Justin picked up Joshua's bishop, twirling the piece in his fingers. The pieces were beautifully crafted- hand carved, set with brilliant sapphires, emeralds, amethysts, and diamonds. "We never have the time, I suppose. To play."
"No. We don't."
Justin nudged his pawn forward. "I love chess- you know that. But my favorite time playing it is now. Here. With my brother."
"Mine too." Flickering flames cast shadows on Joshua's smooth face, making him look somewhat haunted.
"They've gone sentimental on me. Oh, Stara, help." Christopher joked as he entered the room. "Up late, fellows? It's one in the morning, if you haven't noticed."
"I hadn't. Thank you." Justin answered, smiling.
Christopher plopped down on the floor to watch the game. "Justin's winning. What a surprise."
"I'm just out of practice." Joshua said, miffed.
"Ah." Christopher turned to Justin. "Was he always 'out of practice' or is that my imagination?"
"He was always out of practice." Justin confirmed, laughing.
"Oh, be quiet." Joshua snarled, moving his castle.
"Check." Justin said, frowning as he said the words, and moving his bishop.
"I love that. It's a warning. If he didn't say it, I wouldn't notice." Joshua told Chris gleefully.
Chris, who had watched the brothers play chess countless times before, merely shook his head at the sovereign. "You know, all those people who idolize you? We should just make them spend the day with you."
"Very funny." Joshua wrinkled his nose at the General.
"I thought so!" Justin said.
"You would." Joshua retorted.
"You're right, I would, that's why I said it!" The eighteen-year-old shot back.
"Children, children!" Chris cried, covering his ears. "Enough!"
"I am not a child." Joshua insisted, then drew himself up. "I am your king." His argument, however, was ruined by his grin. Justin's chuckling did not help either.
"Check, and mate." Justin said, looking down at the board.
Joshua looked down as well. "What? No! That's not right! How could I lose?"
"Don't worry, Joshua." Justin was glowing with triumph. "You're just out of practice."
~~~~~~~~~
Joshua leaned against the terrace railing, looking down into the moonlit gardens. A soft breeze blew across his bare skin. The rain of the morning was long gone- as soon as they had reached Kylara, the storm had vanished, confirming their suspicions of a mage-made storm. His mind turned to Lance and a smile played about his lips as he envisioned the Shayani.
Smooth arms slipped around his waist and Lance rested his chin on Joshua's shoulder. "What are you doing out here? Aren't you cold?" Lance whispered in his ear.
"No, I'm fine." Joshua smiled. "I was just thinking."
"At one thirty in the morning?" Lance's voice rang with disbelief.
"I thought you were asleep." Joshua murmured, changing the subject.
"I was. What were you thinking about?"
"You." Joshua answered truthfully.
"Good answer." Lance rubbed his nose against Joshua's neck. "I love you, Joshua." He murmured.
Joshua froze. He'd said a million times- if not more- that day that he was in love with Lance, but he'd never said it directly to Lance. They'd never gone that far, had never been so sure of their feelings for each other. |I'm not ready for this.| Joshua thought desperately, looking around for some kind of escape.
But it was Lance who saved him. "Even if you're not cold, I am, so come inside." Lance murmured, pulling him backwards and into the room.
They tumbled onto the bed, laughing softly, then crawled under the covers and wrapped their arms around each other.
Joshua studied Lance's face, illuminated by the moon. |What, exactly, am I so afraid of?| he wondered, staring at Lance's full red lips. |He loves me. I love him. Why can't I tell him that? Wouldn't it be just like telling my mother I'm in love with him?| Joshua caressed Lance's cheek. |No. No, it wouldn't.| He answered his own question.
He thought Lance was asleep.
"I love you, Lance." He announced to the night air.
Lance pulled him closer. "I know." Lance gently kissed Joshua's shoulder. "I love you too."
(c) Mei Ly R., silver_rose102@hotmail.com